The Root Down Celebrates 15 Years

Fifteen years ago a group of serious vinyl collectors decided to share their diverse tastes in a live setting, a weekly event called The Root Down. It united a lot of LA’s music scenes and was a launch pad for a lot of artists – from KCRW fave Cut Chemist, famed DJ Dusk (R.I.P.), Madlib, and even a young, startup hip hop group known as BLACK EYED PEAS.

KCRW DJ Jeremy Sole made his LA debut there – in fact, he said moving to LA from Chicago it was the ONE place he really wanted to spin.

The Root Down was famously led by music lovers with refined ears, and spinning there meant joining the ranks of true tastemakers. The series was so well-respected, it was like a rite of passage for DJs who took music collecting – funk, soul, hip hop, reggae — seriously. As Jeremy says, much like KCRW, it’s a scene built around a lot of people who appreciate good music.

Celebrate the 15-year anniversary of The Root Down on Friday, December 14 at Arena with a ton of great talent: The Beatnuts backed by Connie Price and the Keystones, Syl Johnson backed by Breakestra, Cut Chemist, The Lions, Buyepongo and Jeremy himself!

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This Post Was Contributed by

Rachel Reynolds
The KCRW Music Blog is curated, edited and co-authored by Rachel Reynolds, KCRW’s music publicity director and longtime music insider, with additional posts from KCRW DJs, staff volunteers and many other special guests.

About the KCRW Music Blog

Expect a steady flow of new music discovery of “Artists You Should Know,” selected by KCRW Staff and DJs and including streaming mp3s. Also, enjoy video clips of our favorite songs from our own Morning Becomes Eclectic in-studio sessions, as well as the EXCLUSIVE material that we are thrilled to offer to readers when we get the chance!